Matthew Quick - The Silver Linings Playbook - Review

SYNOPSIS: Meet Pat Peoples. Pat
has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given
mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon
God will ensure him a happy ending—the return of his estranged wife,
Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent
several years in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat’s now
home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his
beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he’s being pursued by the
deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a
form of therapy. Plus, he’s being haunted by Kenny G! ~ from GOODREADS

This was a re-read.

REVIEW:

I recently re-read The Silver Linings Playbook in
an effort to re-familiarize myself with the story prior to seeing the movie. I loved
this story. I’m always looking for quirky characters and Quick does an
excellent job in creating them for this story of broken couples and broken
people.

This is the story of Patrick’s decline. It is also
a reluctant love story. Patrick’s friends and family want him to get better.
After losing so many years to ‘the bad place’, all Patrick wants to do is get
back with his wife Nikki. He wants the ‘apart time’ to be over so that the two
of them can return to their normal life. What Patrick doesn’t realize is that
he’s been locked away from the real world for a lot longer than he thinks. Life
has moved on without him.

Enter Tiffany…another broken character. Tiffany and
Patrick are set up on a date by family and friends. So begins the reluctant
love story. This story is an exquisite look at how people can program
themselves to think they’ll make it…that things don’t change if they don’t want
them to. It’s a beautiful story of brokenness. The reader will love following
Patrick along on his somewhat confusing journey from being lost to being on the
mend. And Quick has given us some great characters to meet along the way. Not
the least of whom, is Cliff Patel…Patrick’s new therapist, who eloquently
crosses the line from therapist to friend simply by standing. The two share a
love for a football team…and become regular tailgate party friends. Quick
crossed this doctor/patient friend line effortlessly…I didn’t question the
validity of this happening even once. And yet, it is something one couldn’t
imagine happening in real life.

The relationship/non-relationship between Patrick
and Tiffany is so brilliant. These are naïve people who have had some hard
knocks. Their families don’t understand them. Their friends no longer get them.
They are both navigating minefields…and neither have overly supportive people
on their side. It seems the world can put up with broken for only so long
before it gets frustrated by it. Quick is a master at painting the way
relationships crumble under the stress of mental illness. But he is also a
master at making the reader suspect that the crumbling will stop and the walls
will be shored up. But nothing is certain in a Matthew Quick story.

I loved this story! I’m sure that if you pick it
up, you’ll find yourself immediately immersed in its pages. I was rooting for
Patrick all the way…and wildly frustrated with him for continuing to wait for ‘apart
time’ to be over between him and his wife, Nikki. Quick is a master at bringing
out a reader’s emotions…and having them want to read on to see the cracks
filled and the dents pounded out. If you do snag this novel, and like it, don’t
forget to check one of Quick’s YA offerings, Boy21. It’s another unique story,
well told. These two books have made me a staunch Matthew Quick fan.

Net Galley

Half Dead & Fully Broken

Burn Baby Burn Baby

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Review Policy

I will consider reviews based solely on whether or not I like the premise of a book. I enjoy reading YA fiction, as well as Adult contemporary and literary fiction. Some elements of paranormal or fantastical are welcome, but I enjoy these mostly in a contemporary setting. If you want to try me, send your request to TryThisBook@hotmail.com (I will get back to you either way.)

I will never review for money, and I will never give anything other than an honest review.

BIO

My name is Kevin Craig. I write young adult novels. My most recent are BURN BABY BURN BABY (Dec2014) and HALF DEAD & FULLY BROKEN (Jan2015). Prior novels are SUMMER ON FIRE (Jul2011), SEBASTIAN'S POET (Jun2012-NOT YA), THE REASONS (Apr2013-NOT YA). I am also a poet and a playwright.